The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1887-11-30
Meats for Wlntry Days.

We had roast beef for dinner yesterday, /
40 we will have some of il "Warmed up |
for breakfas'. Slice it very thin, cut it |
small and cook i've minutes only, in some
of Its rich, brown gravy, left also from
Yesterday. II is mistake to simmer |
meat of any kind in second cooking. |
II makes it Hat and insipid, and takes the |
flavor out Of it, which cannot be made up /
by any degree of seasoning aftcrward |
The quicker meats are warmed up and
thoroughly heated through, the better |
they are. Even corncd-becf hash, that
homely and oft-despised dish, is very
good when cooked five minutes, but
spoiled if allowed to steam its flavor
away for ten.
Put on your breakfast table a few
slices, neatly cut, of cold roast beef, too.
It may Just suit some ones taste or within.
Baked potatoes are very acceptable of
cold morning, or mashed potatoes left
from Yesterdays dinner may he beaten up
with an egg made into croquettes, and
fried in Il few moments. Or the baked
potatoes left may be fried rich brown,
crisp and well-seasoncd, or baked or
boiled potatoes may be chopped fine and
stewed in milk with little butter, salt,
pepper and chopped sprig of parsley
added Even these plain dishes cannot
| be "done to Il turn" without care and at
tenton. They cannot be put over the
| fire and left to cook themselves. Stirring
| and turning makes the fried potatoes
evenly brown, and keeps the stewlng
ones from scorching in the milk. Little
| things to be sure, but good cooking can
only be the result of care in triies, and
the result well repays the care 1t is one
of the most difficult things to impress up
Int in,r
food of all sorts in pan, kettle, or oven,
needs constant watching. few thin
slices of bacon fried may be just what
some one of the family will relish, and
take but moment of extra time. Or an
omelet, fresh from the fire, will be ac-
ceptable probably to many.
We can have rolls sent from the bak-
cr's, and heat them through only in the
oven, or a few English mullins and toast
| them. And homemade, warm breakfast
| breads make a desirable change. Corn
bread mullins, pop-overs and the like, can
all be put together in n few moments, and
all help to make n cold mornings break
| fast satisfactory, especially with hot cof-
| fee, the usual accompaniment. These
all, too. are plain. common food, but they
are what everybody can get, they are
within the reach of all,
! A plain lunch can be made of slice of
| broiled ham. Salt meat seems to be es-
pecially grateful to thrifty appetite in
cold weather Have also a few eggs
fried or poached, and plate of toast
bread, slices toasted brown, dipped in
boiling milk, well buttered and hot.
Bring out some of the fruits or berries or
melons preserved in summer, for use and
convenience in winter. A good cup of
lie, Ia
plain, quite sufficient and satisfying to
most people.
For dinner we should have soups.
There are so many kinds, all easily made,
that we need not have the same kind
twice in the week, so people are not apt
to tire of soups. There is clam, oyster,
beef, pea, vegetable, sage, ox-tal, null
ligatawny and scores of other kinds, all
little labor or trouble, and and all mex
pen>ive. good old-fashoned oyster
soup is made as follows: Strain the
liquor from one quart of oysters into a
saucepan, and add three cups of water, a
little salt and pepper, and bit of mace,
and put over the fire. Now stir smoothly
together one large spoonful of flour and
two of butter, and stir into the liquid,
when boiling. Cook moderately five
minutes, then add the oysters, bring just
to brisk boil, and remove from the fire,
Serve at once This way requires no
milk, and retains the oyster flavor better
than the more modern way of using milk
altogether instead of water.
Now, our meat is to be somewhat out
of the old time-beaten track, but will be
| found delicious, nevertheless. Materials
required Five pounds lean, round, fresh
beef, one can of tomatoes, two white
onions, one slice of salt pork. Put the
meat into good-sized kettle in such u
way that the fibres shall be perpendicular
The object of this is that the substance
and flavor of the other ingredients may
thoroughly penetrate and season 1t. Now
strain oil the juice from the can of to-
matocs over 1t, and lay ON the meat one
half the tomatoes themselves. Slice on
this the two onions, cut the pork in thin
strips and lay on, sprinkle over fair al
lowance of salt and pepper, and add
three whole cloves. Cover closely, and
cook slowly for at least four hours, per-
hitting no steam to escape. which will
give an ample AMI most delicious gravy,
which should be poured over the meat
before sending to table Ii the moisture
has evaporated and it has become too dry,
a little tomato or hot water must be adj
ded. If managed properly, this is a
most appetizing dish in cold weather.
Mashed potatoes, white turnips, cook
ed in cream and canned green peas, are
suitable accomplishments. There is no
vegetable canned that requires, or indeed
can bear, long cooking. Well heated
through applies especially to these, as
well as many another article of food that
even experienced cooks often allow to
simmer and stew till the original flavor
has entirely departed. -IndependeR.